


Sleigh Ride

by shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars



Category: Black Friday - Team StarKid, The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Angst, Bad Parenting, Child Noel is Kinda Fucked Up, Christmas, Drunk Driving, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, NO DEATH, Prompt Fill, Sam can have rights for one fic, car crash, hatchetober, me dumping OC lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:55:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27061546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars/pseuds/shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars
Summary: that fateful christmas day, the day of the crash, and noel's 7th birthday.
Relationships: Charlotte/Sam (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 10
Kudos: 8





	Sleigh Ride

**Author's Note:**

> please read the tags!! there is a lot more heavy stuff in this fic <3
> 
> collab w liv as always (@overlycompensatedapprentice on here)

Noel watched the water under the Nantucket Bridge through the window. Her hair was sprayed too stiff with hairspray and the dress she was wearing was too fancy for Christmas. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, trying to block out the arguing. Her parents had been at it all morning after she opened her presents. They were all ones she liked, but only the stuffed cat that sat on her lap was one she genuinely loved. Her Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Sam had sent it to her. 

She wanted to get out of the stuffy car, but she didn’t want to ask her parents how much longer the ride was. She wanted to see Aunt Charlotte, and soon. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to make herself smaller, bringing her knees up to her chin.

Maybe closing her eyes would help. Maybe just ignoring her parents would help. Of course, that was hard.

“Noel, put your feet down before you dirty the seat,” Adelaide Michaels snapped, hitting her on the knee. “Your father just washed this car.”

“Sorry,” Noel said quietly, putting her feet down. She hugged her cat tighter as Ada turned back around. 

“Oh, fuck off,” Baxter Michaels snapped at his wife. “It ain’t like you don’t do it too. You’re the one who scratched the fuckin paint that I had to fix!” 

“Because  _ you _ didn’t get the tires checked!”

Noel only let go of the cat to cover her ears. It was too loud and too much for her. She didn’t want to be this close to her parents. She liked her bedroom, where she was upstairs and far away from their arguments. She whimpered when it got louder, so loud that it was too loud even with her hands over her ears.

She could feel herself tearing up. She couldn’t cry. Not now. They’d laugh at her.

Luckily for her, though, they parked and she sprinted out of the car. Charlotte’s car was already there. She could run and hide with her if the door was open.

“Ellie?” Charlotte’s voice came from the living room as Noel frantically knocked at the door. “Is that Ellie?”

“Auntie Charlotte?” Noel asked quietly as her parents came up behind her. Ada opened the door and Noel ran into Charlotte’s arms, letting herself get scooped up. 

“Hi, sweetie,” Charlotte said. Noel hugged her tighter and buried her head in her shoulder. She loved her Auntie Charlotte. She really did. “Do you want some Christmas cookies? I made them this morning.” 

“Can I have one?” Noel asked softly, smiling at her. Her smile dropped when she saw Ada’s glare as she bee-lined into the kitchen. “Please, can I have one?”

“You can have two,” Charlotte said, ignoring Ada’s glare as she picked Noel up so she could see the array of cookies on the kitchen counter to pick what she wanted. Noel picked up one snowman-shaped cookie and bit into it. Charlotte made good cookies.

“Fank you, Auntie Charlotte,” Noel said through a mouthful of cookie. 

“You’re very welcome,” Charlotte said. “Happy birthday, sweetie! How old are you now, 7?”

“Uh-huh!” Noel said proudly. “Seven.” She was seven today. A little Christmas present for her family. Ada and Baxter sometimes joked that it had been the worst Christmas ever when they had some of that drink they liked, and that hurt Noel, though she’d never show it. She smiled a little bit at Charlotte. “Is Uncle Sam here?”

“He’ll be here in a little while,” Charlotte promised. “They made him work. On  _ Noel’s birthday.  _ How crazy is that? He was so upset when he found out.” She tousled Noel’s hair. “But he’d never miss his favorite niece’s birthday.” Nobody ever mentioned she was his only niece. 

“Okay,” Noel nodded. “Thank you for my stuffed cat.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” Charlotte said softly. “Your Uncle Sam actually got it from someone at work, and asked me to send it to you. He said he thought you’d like it.” 

“I love him!” Noel grinned. “His name’s Chip!” 

“I like that name,” Charlotte said, setting her back on the floor. “Uncle Sam should be home any minute, do you wanna go say hi at the door?” 

“Mhm,” Noel grabbed another cookie from the counter before scampering back into the living room, avoiding the eyes of her parents. Ada grabbed her arm and leant down, pulling her close. Noel whined and tried to pull away. The manicured nails were slightly digging into her arm.

“Mommy, you’re hurting me!” Noel pulled on her mother’s arm harder, but she only tightened her grip. “Mommy!” 

“Quit it,” Ada snapped. 

“Mommy!” Noel whined. “Please!”

The sound of the door swinging open caused Ada to loosen her grip enough for Noel to slip out. She ran to the door and shrieked with delight as Sam scooped her into his arms. 

“Hi, Uncle Sam!” She threw her arms around his neck.

“Hey, Ellie,” Sam said with a laugh. “Sorry I’m late.” He held her on his hip, greeting Ada. “They made me work on the most important holiday, your birthday.” At least one person made her birthday a big deal. “But I brought ya something I think you’re gonna like. You can open it later.” 

“Okay,” Noel nodded. “Auntie Charlotte made cookies.”

“Oh, did she?” Uncle Sam said, tickling Noel’s stomach and making her giggle. “Did you eat them all or save some for me?” 

“You have some,” Noel said softly. “Are Grammie and Grampa comin’?”

“They couldn’t make it this time, so it’ll be me, you, Aunt Charlotte, Mommy, and Daddy.” Sam said. 

“Oh,” Noel said. “Okay.” That ached a little bit in her heart. The more people, the better she felt.

“Lemme go say hi to your Aunt and your Dad, and then maybe we can open some presents, okay?” He put her down and patted her head.

“Okay.” Noel nodded, sticking close to Sam’s leg. If she stuck with him, Ada and Baxter would leave her alone. Baxter clicked his fingers and Noel pulled away from him. She was used to this treatment. At least when Christmas was over, she could go back to reading her picture books and chewing her teddy bear’s hand when she got too scared.

“Oh, she’s  _ fine _ ,” Sam said. 

“It’s adult matters, Sam,” Ada had a glass of wine already held in her hand. “Not ones a little girl should listen to.” 

“Then just let her stay in here with the cat toy, and the rest of us can go in the kitchen.” Sam rolled his eyes. “It’s not that difficult, guys. It’s Christmas.” 

“I said it’s adult matters, little girls should not be hearing them,” Ada said again, glaring at her daughter. “Go away, Noel.”

“Going,” Noel said, rushing upstairs to hide in the bathroom. She clutched her stuffed cat tightly as she shut the door and sat down against it. She just waited for Sam or Charlotte to come get her for presents. She was used to this. It happened every year. Except when her grandparents were there, at least she could help her grandma set the table.

It was a while before Sam called her down for presents. Noel didn’t know how long it had been, but she was just glad to get out of the bathroom. She was forced to sit in between her parents, a beer bottle a little too close to her.

“Alright, Ellie,” Charlotte said, trying to lighten the mood. She’d clearly had a few glasses herself. “Where do you want to start?” 

“I don’t know,” Noel said quietly. “Y-You can choose.”

“Oh, okay,” Charlotte said. “Why don’t you open the one from Gramma and Grampa first? They sent it in the mail when they realized they couldn’t come.” She handed Noel a wrapped package. Noel nodded and took it. She was their only grandchild.

She tore off the paper to reveal a few new Magic Treehouse books. She gasped, smiling. “New books!”

“You like those, right?” Charlotte asked. “Grammie and Grampa thought you did.” 

“I haven’t r-read them,” Noel said softly. 

“Well, give them a try, and if you don’t like them, we can get you new ones, okay?” Charlotte said. 

“Okay,” Noel nodded and put the books down by her feet. She was shaky, almost dropping them. Sam handed her the next gift, one that he’d obviously wrapped himself. It wasn’t as well put together as her grandparents’ gift. 

“Can I open it?” Noel asked her parents quietly, looking at the purple wrapping paper. 

“Sam, you already got her a gift.” 

“It’s alright,” Sam said with a shrug. “I got it for free, and I don’t have a use for it. Let the kid have some presents.” 

“ _ Sam _ ,” Ada slurred from her wine glass half in her mouth. Noel quickly opened the gift while her parents were distracted. They couldn’t yell at her while they were drinking whatever they were drinking. The small dog toy dropped into her lap and she hugged it close immediately. It was soft, tan with brown floppy ears that felt nice. She smiled at Sam appreciatively. 

“Thank you, Uncle Sam.” She smiled and kissed the top of the stuffed animal’s head. 

“You’re welcome, kiddo,” Sam said, reaching over to tousle her hair. “Glad you like it.” She almost flinched away when he reached too close but she let him mess up her hair. Ada whacked his arm in retaliation. 

“Don't do that.” 

“Jesus, Ada, lay off!” Sam said. “I didn’t wreck her fancy hairdo.” 

“Dont touch my daughter.” 

Noel wished she never came back downstairs. She didn’t like the arguing. Sam, Baxter, and Ada argued while Charlotte stayed frozen in her seat. She couldn’t move, sandwiched between her parents. 

After a few minutes of this, Charlotte silently opened her arms for Noel, inviting her to crawl onto the chair. Ada’s grip on her arm didnt loosen at the invite. Noel squirmed away and into the chair, laying her head on Charlotte’s chest. Charlotte wrapped her arms around Noel, rubbing her back. Noel hid her face in Charlotte’s chest, trying to block out the noise. Charlotte’s heart was beating. She could hear it. She didn’t know if that made her feel better or worse. 

“Noel, we’re leaving!” Ada snapped, shooting up from her seat and wobbling a bit. “Get your shit and let’s go!” 

“Yes, Mommy,” Noel mumbled. She grabbed her books from the floor and hugged her stuffed animals close to her chest. She kept her eyes on the floor. She didn’t even say goodbye as Baxter nearly pushed her out. It was dark out, cold, and she had no jacket. They got in the car and immediately, Ada turned to her. 

“It’s past your bedtime. Goodnight, Noel.” 

“G-goodnight, Mommy,” Noel mumbled softly. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, shaking and hugging her stuffed animals. Though, the car moving plus the dark lulled her to sleep. 

She didn’t know what happened before she woke up to loud noises and bright lights. She whimpered as the beam hit her face, looking around wildly. Her dog stuffed animal was on the other side of the car and the cat was squished into her arms. She looked in the front seat to see no parents. 

“Mommy? Daddy?”

No response. Noel’s lower lip trembled. 

“M-m-mommy?” Noel repeated, a little louder. “D-daddy?” Her eyes began to fill with tears 

“Ellie?” Uncle Sam’s voice floated through the haze. Noel began to cry, thinking she was imagining his voice. That happened sometimes. “Is that you? Ellie?”

Noel buried her head in her cat, crying in earnest now. She felt a pair of hands unclasp her seatbelt and a pair of strong arms lift her into the air. 

“Ellie, it’s me,” Uncle Sam said. 

“Uncle Sam?” She asked quietly, looking up at him. 

“Yeah, kiddo,” Sam replied. “It’s me. Right here. It’s okay.” 

“I w-want the doggie.” Noel sniffled. “C-Can I have him? I have Chippie.”

“I’ll get him for you,” Sam reassured her. “We’re gonna go to a nice lady over there, and while she makes sure you’re okay, I’ll get you your dog. Does that sound good?” 

“Mommy and D-Daddy aren’t in the c-car.” Noel began bawling all over again. 

“Your Mommy and Daddy are okay,” Sam promised. He bounced her lightly in his arms. “Let’s go see the nice lady now.” He tried to soothe her, but she kept crying even when he had to put her down to get checked out. 

“Hi,” the woman said in a soft, soothing voice. “Your name is Noel, right?” 

Noel barely nodded, still in tears. 

“Well, my name is Becky, and I’m gonna check you over to make sure you’re okay, okay?” 

“I want Mommy and Daddy!” 

Noel never got her mom and dad back. They’d crashed the car. Lived, but weren’t able to keep her. She went home with Sam that night instead. She slept in the guest room with the books and the two stuffed animals. She tried to read, to calm herself down, but it didn’t help. She just cried and cried and cried until she finally fell asleep, Sam’s stuffed puppy and Charlotte’s stuffed cat cradled in her arms. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! please leave a comment!!! you dont need an account, please leave a comment though <3


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